Nerima House by Elding Oscarson

ByJon Dykstra Houses

A house on a plot in Tokyo, with a small garden sprawl all around the house.

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Architect: Elding Oscarson – Jonas Elding (Partner in Charge), Johan Oscarson (Partner in Charge), Yuko Maki (Project Architect)
Local Architect: Koichiro Tokimori, Osamu Kato
Structural Engineer: Jun Sato Structural Engineering, Yuko Mihara (Project Engineer)
Mechanical Engineer: System Design Labo
Builder: Kudo Komuten
Gardener: Tokuzo
Curtain: Akane Moriyama
Completion: 2015
Site area: 109m2
Building area (gross): 46m2
Total floor area (gross): 99m2
Construction Cost: 38.000.000 yen
Photos credits: Kenichi Suzuki

The Architects of Elding Oscarson.
The Architects of Elding Oscarson.
The house's street facade, with small steeps leading to the main entrance, the house has glass slits around the entire ground floor.
The house’s street facade, with small steeps leading to the main entrance, the house has glass slits around the entire ground floor.
The open space second floor living area has a glass slit on all sides.
The open space second floor living area has a glass slit on all sides.
The living and dining area has a glass slit that allows you to feel semi-outdoors while enjoying a 360-degree panorama of the site, treetops, and sky.
The living and dining area has a glass slit that allows you to feel semi-outdoors while enjoying a 360-degree panorama of the site, treetops, and sky.
To provide privacy, the second floor can be completely covered with curtains.
To provide privacy, the second floor can be completely covered with curtains.
The dining room, which has a four-seater round table, pendant lighting, and a view of the neighboring houses through a glass slit.
The dining room, which has a four-seater round table, pendant lighting, and a view of the neighboring houses through a glass slit.
A minimalist kitchen cabinetry with a glass slit providing unobstructed views of the garden outside.
A minimalist kitchen cabinetry with a glass slit providing unobstructed views of the garden outside.
A stairway in the corridor leading to the second-floor open space.
A stairway in the corridor leading to the second-floor open space.
The bedroom, which has a single seating area, clean-lined cabinetry, exposed lighting, and a glass slit that provides a view of the garden.
The bedroom, which has a single seating area, clean-lined cabinetry, exposed lighting, and a glass slit that provides a view of the garden.
The bathroom, which includes a counter-topped sink, a round mirror suspended in a glass slit, and a built-in soaking tub.
The bathroom, which includes a counter-topped sink, a round mirror suspended in a glass slit, and a built-in soaking tub.
A roof terrace with potted plants and a view of the street and neighboring houses.
A roof terrace with potted plants and a view of the street and neighboring houses.
The uninterrupted glass slit around the entire ground floor means that the house is opening up to all sides, to wide and narrow garden spaces.
The uninterrupted glass slit around the entire ground floor means that the house is opening up to all sides, to wide and narrow garden spaces.
The ground floor is sunken a bit into the ground to find a new relation in absolute proximity to the garden, a new perspective to contemplate the greenery and an un-traditional openness to the gap around the site.
The ground floor is sunken a bit into the ground to find a new relation in absolute proximity to the garden, a new perspective to contemplate the greenery and an un-traditional openness to the gap around the site.

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A street view of the house at night highlighting the two glass slits that run the length of the structure.
A street view of the house at night highlighting the two glass slits that run the length of the structure.
A street view of the Nerima house with neighbouring houses.
A street view of the Nerima house with neighbouring houses.
The plan diagram scale of the Nerima house.
The plan diagram scale of the Nerima house.
The elevation scale of the Nerima house.
The elevation scale of the Nerima house.
The section 1 of the Nerima house.
The section 1 of the Nerima house.
The section 2 of the Nerima house.
The section 2 of the Nerima house.
The site plan scale of the Nerima house.
The site plan scale of the Nerima house.

On a plot in Tokyo, a small garden has been thriving next to an old house for a long time. As the tiny exist-ing building was replaced, our client really wanted to preserve the garden and allow it to sprawl all around the house.

The small plot should also fit a parking, the maximum footprint of the house, and the necessary gap to the site perimeter.

The client is a couple that will first use this house as a weekend house before eventually moving to Tokyo. They also have grown-up children living in Tokyo and abroad that will inhabit the house from time to time.

Therefore, the program was fairly unspecified, and rather than making a house with many small rooms, we opted for a concept which gives a few large spaces in this small house.

The ground floor is sunken a bit into the ground to find a new relation in absolute proximity to the garden, a new perspective to contemplate the greenery and an un-traditional openness to the gap around the site.

The uninterrupted glass slit around the entire ground floor means that the house is opening up to all sides, to wide and narrow garden spaces, as well as to the street.

Due to the semi-sunken base of the house, the second floor can be a singular open space with a proportionally large ceiling height within the maximum building height; still in relative proximity to the ground, not losing contact with the greenery of the garden while giving access to the roof terrace as well.

This big second floor room is open to all sides with a glass slit, providing a sense of being semi-outdoor, enjoying a 360-degree panorama of the site, the tree-tops, and the sky.

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Jon Dykstra
Jon Dykstra

Jon practiced law before launching his online publishing career, bringing analytical rigor to everything he builds. Home Stratosphere combines that precision with a lifelong obsession with residential design — architecture, interiors, landscape, and furniture.

His current focus is AI-driven design analysis, using artificial intelligence to study patterns in color, layout, and material choice across thousands of homes. His Personality Type Home Design Guide applies personality frameworks to interior aesthetics, helping readers design spaces that reflect how they actually think and live.

His favorite piece on the site is the 25 Most Popular Designs, is a daily-updated ranking of the top designs over the last 30 days, driven entirely by visitor activity. The feedback is invaluable for understanding what resonates most with readers. LinkedIn

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